Monday, October 13, 2008

" Split p e a sonality ! "



The yin and the yang of legumes
( split peas and Turkish dhal)





A creamy, flavorful rendition of "two peas in a pod!"




Accompanied by " garlic bread leaf croutons"





Or crispy puff pastry croutons with an interesting crunch ( See below for the how to)





Five star comfort cuisine with puff pastry cutouts






This presentation will have your family or your guests pondering on how you separated the two colors in the pumpkin and in a way it is fun and echoes the premise of this presentation.
Often these legumes are looked upon as culinary hum drum, but when cooked down, it becomes a creamy vehicle for kick a.. soul food! Each personality of these interesting legumes will emerge when you the mistress or master mind manipulate its gastronomic interdependence to achieve a sensational soup symphony. For me, surreal as this may sound, this soup spells Fall with its colorful leaves and also playing in the soft snow, glistening in the bright sunlight. It is then that I realize.......time to get my a.. inside out of this frigid yet refreshing arctic air and have a steamy bowl of soup!

Here now finally the recipe:

These are just ordinary ingredients none of your exotic heroics! Please use organic ingredients when possible!

  • 1/4 lb green split peas and a 1/4 lb Turkish masoor dhal ( available from Indian grocer)
  • whole allspice berries and some cloves
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 1 cup frozen green fresh peas
  • 1/4 c chives
  • 1/4 c chopped leeks
  • 1/2 c chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 c chopped parsley
  • garlic powder or fresh even though the powdered form here proves more effective!
  • few turns of crack black
  • 6 carrots
  • 1 big onion
  • 1 tomato peeled
  • tomato paste
  • 1 potato
  • 2 roasted jalapeno seeds removed ( sometimes I purchase these from Mexican markets where they only roast these chillies in huge drums and can you imagine the aroma..... AWESOME!!!!
  • cumin
Normally I just make one color and that is just the green split peas with all the veggies cooked down with the tomato paste added but I really wanted to evoke some playfulness and I can assure you, anyone will enjoy eating their veggies in this way!

Boil the two different color legumes in separate saucepans. To the green split peas, add some salt, water just enough to cover, a few allspice berries and cloves and the leeks and cook until creamy. Add enough water to thin out the soup . Add the peas, only 1/4 c of cilantro, 1/4 c of the parsley, the chives, garlic powder and the crack black and cook for few minutes more. Blend this mixture, pour back into saucepan with one of the roasted jalapenos and keep on a low heat.

Meanwhile to the Turkish dhal, add some water just enough to cover, salt, crack black, allspice, cloves and cook for about 20 mins. Add the peeled carrots, onion, potato, and cook further until the whole veggies are tender making sure to add water continuously to keep the soup of pourable consistency. Blend this mixture with the peeled fresh tomatoes and the remainder of the cilantro and parsley . Pour back into saucepan and add 2 T of tomato paste and the other whole roasted jalapeno and a touch of cumin. keep both saucepans on a low simmer until ready to eat.

Croutons

I rolled out puff pastry and made twists and even cut out letters of the alphabet. I brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with grated sharp cheddar and Parmesan and paprika OR brush some with an egg wash and sprinkle with your favorite crushed potato chips and then bake.

For the leaves:

Use a cookie cutter and cut shapes from bread, brush with melted garlic butter, dip the edges in chopped parsley and bake

Sometimes I make this soup with meat. Please enjoy!

Nazarina A


Roast chicken noodle soup with kicka.....crispy straws

35 comments:

Angela said...

This is gorgeous! What a great idea -- and so perfect for the season. Thanks!

The Food Hunter said...

What a cool idea. Love the garlic bread leaf croutons.

Manggy said...

Those croutons are too cute! I love this appropriately seasonal soup :) The pattern reminds me of the pea soup that Wolfgang Puck once made on his cooking show :)

Unknown said...

you one creative little cookie, you are!

ochikeron said...

How cool! I like the way you present your food!!!

So, how did you separate these two? Are those thick enough to be separated? I want to try those!!! Mmm :)

Unknown said...

looks deliicous...

Thxs for visiting my blog & ur comment...

Prudy said...

That is just stunning! Absolutely breathtaking!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

Eye candy! Very stunning and creative.

lubnakarim06 said...

U rock baby! Everything looks tempting, alluring and delectable.

Yasmeen said...

I admire your creativity. The soup looks gorgeous in the pumpkin and croutons are crispy deliciously.Lovely ideas,Nazarina:)

Meg Wolff said...

I love your yin & yang of legumes. You are quite the food artist. A nice tribute to your mother and grandmother as well!

Hopie said...

Very pretty, festive, yet simple! I love red lentils because they cook fast and get all nice and soft. The leaf croutons are adorable!

Anonymous said...

Those croutons are adorable! What a great idea! And I love that presentation - a wonderful idea for the autumn!

Anjum said...

its simply awesome!!!...i admire ur creative side,the picture is so gorgeous...tht i wsa simply staring at it for a long time!!!

Anjum said...

its simply awesome!!!...i admire ur creative side,the picture is so gorgeous...tht i wsa simply staring at it for a long time!!!

Anonymous said...

HEY HEY NAZARINA!!!! =)) I'm so happy bout your comment on my blog!! Thank you SO MUCH!! :*

OMG,all the photos and creations here are SO great!! So inspiring and delicious...!! You make it SO well!! Talent I guess :)))

Well,well!! Grocery exchange is like the name of it hehe :)) sending each other different foods :)) so that one can enjoy the foods from the other country etc ... I LOVE IT!! :D Would you like to make it???! :))

Mmm...PĄCZKI ,,,Polish doughnuts.. yours are SO cute So PRETTY :D great addaptation :D yours LOOK DELICIOUS!! :DD

Have you been in Poland..?? :))

The tin with chocolates has Chopin on it,right..?? I know it , it's the Chopin Pralines from Wedel :) heh..!!

Well...I'd be SOOOOO GLAD to see your comments on my blog regularely !!!! :-D Please come!! Visit me on

www.agnesworldofveganpleasures.blogspot.com

Hope to "see" you soon!! :D
Have a nice time!!

Dori said...

Those are some creative looking foods! Yummy!!!

The H.I. said...

I love this idea. Would definitely make a great impression on your guests.Keep those creative juices flowing.

Mahimaa's kitchen said...

thanks for your comments dear. yeah i also make ghee at home..

btw.. i adore ur pics... awesome photography.

ncfoodie said...

Your food and photographs are absolutely beautiful. The soup looks so vibrant.
Thank you so much for posting a comment on my blog!

Unknown said...

wow the yin and yang looks beautiful.The soups is looks yuumy too.Andthe suop is perfect for this season.

Reeni said...

Your soup looks so delicious and your cute little bread cutouts too! Perfect warmth for the colder weather. I love the star bowls too, very festive!

test it comm said...

That looks good! Nice presentation of the two soups in one!

Anonymous said...

Love it, reminds me of being in Korea, So BFF what don't you do? You amaze me, amaze me! I look forward to your posts, not only for the delish delights but your words of wisdom as you put heart and soul into each! I can only get Kabocha here, I wonder if I can use that?

May I have some?

Laura in Paris said...

Hello Nazarina,I am stunned by your skill to decoarate, create, and act dishes! Congratulations.
I'll come back.
And thank you for stopping by at my blog.

Anonymous said...

this is absolutely fantastic!

Anonymous said...

I love split peas- split pea soup being my favorite way to eat them. I just did a lab in Biology where we had to extract DNA from a split pea haha

Fifi Flowers said...

You are a FOODIE artist! Pretty! if I made that... I think I would tell everyone to just admire the art and imagine how good it tastes... LOL!

maimoona said...

Visiting your blog after a few days, and I must I was awestruck to see such beautiful presentations and recipes,...U are the other word for creativity!

Darius T. Williams said...

Ahhh - this is inspiring...I love it!

-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

Couture Carrie said...

I love your work! You are a culinary artist!
And how cool that your mom was a runway fashion designer; creativity clearly runs in your family.
How is life in the Mile High City?

xoxox,
CC

P.S. Am adding you to my Haute Cuisine blogroll presently!

Lori Lynn said...

Your attention to detail is amazing!

PG CakeCraft said...

hi nazarina, y r truly a wizard to come up with something so gorgeous & breathtaking. i really admire yr outstanding cooking cum artistic skills.

Vaala ◪ said...

Inventive croutons...I must try it sometime. Oh and the soup looks great.

Amelia PS said...

how creative!